Coal breakers had kids as their assistants in the 1920s
It is really sad to think about it, but back in the day, kids used to work just as much as adults. Luckily, nowadays, children are not allowed to work anymore. However, in the 1920s, coal breakers in the U.S. relied on breaker boys who were between 8 to 12 years old.
These breaker boys worked separating the impurities from coal. This job was quite labor-intensive, making people push against allowing children to work in these conditions. Still, these practices continued into the early 1920s until better methods for coal separation were developed and child labor laws became more strictly enforced.